Rememberance
by gilraenstar
Summary: love you all! IT IS COMPLETE! I love you all so much! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. check out the next story in my chronicles in the star trek original series section, called The Emerald Angel
1. Chapter 1

**Remembrance **

CHAPTER 1: Alpha and Omega

All she could feel was pain. All she could remember was death. In her mind only two things really registered. Make that three. She knew her name. That was something she refused to forget. Things were coming to her now, slower then frozen molasses. She remembered the cool summer breeze, the taste of pure water. She could remember the joy and laughter. She could remember back in school the first mathematical equation she was taught.

There was only one thing she couldn't seem to recall.

People.

She knew there were important people somewhere, anywhere, everywhere. But who?

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

"Captain Kirk? I've received a distress call from Epsilon Alpha 3."

Jim Kirk swiveled around in his chair to look at the Communications Officer Lt. Nyota Uhura.

Uhura continued. "Starfleet has asked we give them assistance in any way possible."

Kirk sighed, rubbing his temples. He wasn't in the mood for a rescue mission. It seemed pure luck when the _Enterprise_ was the only ship in the same quadrant where help was needed. This wasn't at all the best time for this to happen. The _Enterprise _was on her way to restock it's own medical supplies, most of which had been depleted in recent missions. And when Bones says depleted, he means like having to ration out things and skimping on almost any kind of medication. That meant when Kirk had a headache, unless it was seriously affecting his command abilities, Bones wasn't able to help him one bit.

Kirk sighed again. "Mr. Sulu, reset or course to the coordinates of Epsilon Alpha 3."

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()**

"The whole reason we came is for fun." Max told Chekov.

"I don't tink vatching people sing is fun." Max shushed him by putting one finger to her lips in the age-old sign of silence.

Max was one of the only girls he could really be around and feel stupid when she was right there beside him at helm.

The choir had been arranged by Max, hence why they had come.

She crossed her fingers and smiled.

It was only a rehearsal, but it was important to the entire group. There were a few of Max's friends he could pick out but not many: Shyana, from communications, Micala, from his own department, Marissa, from science and Alison, from engineering. The rest… he couldn't seem to remember their names.

In the middle of the first song, a message from the Captain rang around the empty auditorium, stating that all Alpha shift report the Bridge immediately. Chekov glanced at Max and they both bolted for the door. For now, she was a part of the Alpha Squad. Sulu had requested to be demoted to Beta shift for stress reason backed up by the doctor himself.

They reached the Bridge, now breathless and took their seats.

They were quickly told of the situation on the planet, we're given a communicator, a tricorder, a small med kit, and we're sent down to the transporter room.

"So were here to find and rescue people from wreckage of the of the _U.S.S Stallion?_" The _U.S.S Stallion _was a small trading frigate that ran just on the border of the Romulan neutral zone.

"It seems so." Chekov answered. The tricorder in his hands blared as they neared a survivor. Max started rummaging around on the twisted metal, hissing as the cold steel bit into her hands.

"Here!" She cried out when she realized Chekov had strayed away. He ran over to his friend and the injured girl she stood over.

Max felt for a pulse. "She's alive. For now. Call the _Enterprise_. We need to send her right to sickbay. While Chekov did so, he heard Max mumble to herself, "Heavy chemical and radiation burns, head injury, possible concussion…"

The _Enterprise _activated the transporter once they locked on the girl, and with a shimmer she disappeared, leaving Chekov and Max to find more people, most of whom they couldn't help.

_***)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(***_

this is my third ever fanfic and I kno this starts out rather slow. It will become more action filled soon and there is of course as I love to write a Chekov/ OC pairing.

Will it be with Max or this mysterious survivor? You'll have to stick with it to find out… oh and I put Scotty to as a character and he will be in the next chapter. Thnx for reading and pleaz pleaz PLEAZ review! I need reviews for an extra credit thing will be doing for school next year and I really value ur opinions. LLAP -\\/


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: The Godfather

"Please, please be quiet…" Max moaned. Telling Chekov the password to her quarters was by far the worst idea she'd ever had.

Now every time he needed somewhere to go so he could avoid his commanding officers, he came into her room. No matter what time it was.

"Time?" She asked her computer. She knew it was really late.

"1209 hours. Dear." The stupid computer answered happily in a girly voice. Guess that still wasn't fixed….

"It is the middle of the night. Can you go somewhere else?" She hid her head under the blanket, quite aware of the fact that he was smirking.

"Nyet."

"Why the heck not?"

"It's easier to think in here."

"Probably because it's dark and I'm trying to _sleep._" She muttered under her breath.

He laughed quietly. "Go back to sleep. I'll be wery quiet. Von't ewen know I'm here."

"Shut up already, jeez." Max mumbled.

"Okay, okay." He whispered, a hint of laughter still clear in his voice.

When Max woke up the next morning she had actually forgotten about the previous nights event.

"Whoa!" She squealed, doing an epic face plant on the carpet. She turned around, still on her back, wondering what she had tripped on.

Chekov slept on the ground, still out cold from the exhaustion.

"What the..."Max said, obviously meaning the sleeping guy on her floor. She checked the time. They had maybe ten measly minutes before Alpha shift started.

"Yo! Chekov wake up! We gotta get ready."

He simply moaned, covering his face with one arm.

"Lights 100%."

He moaned again and opened his eyes to glare at her.

"I see you fell asleep in my room." She told him as she brushed her hair.

He sat up quickly, seeming surprised by the scenario.

"You won't have time to go to your room so unless you want to borrow one of my mini skirts, you're gonna have to go in what you have on."

He got up, shaking his head furiously. There was no way he'd do that.

"Brush your hair. You have some serious bed head." She through the hairbrush at him.

"Guess zhis means no time for breakfast." He mumbled before Max shoved him out the door.

"Doctor. She's waking up." Nurse Chapel reported. McCoy rushed over to the waking girl.

"You know your name?" McCoy asked her when she stared up at him blankly.

"_U.S.S Spartan _Lieutenant Smith, Madeline, Serial number, 656-5829C" She said slowly, as if she couldn't remember right away. "Where am I?" She asked, looking wildly around herself.

"Your in the Sickbay of _U.S.S. Enterprise_."

"What happened? All I remember is that we went on red alert and then… I don't know." Madeline shivered at the memory. "Our ship burned up in the atmosphere didn't it? We wouldn't have had time to put up shields."

"You must've done something or else no one would have survived."

Madeline was silent.

"Did you find my parents?" She finally asked.

"Other than the people in here now, no one else survived." McCoy told her grudgingly. He didn't think this would improve her health. Probably make it worse, actually.

She didn't bother looking around. "There not here." She said quietly.

Madeline fell silent. Then she looked up sharply. "You said _Enterprise _didn't you?"

"Yes."

"My godfather is here."

"One of the wounded?" McCoy asked, glancing around the room without thinking.

"No. Montgomery Scott."

***(*)*(*)(*)(*)()(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(***

**yeah sorry it's kinda short, but I'm really concentrating on The Romulan Secret right now, cus it's really heatin' up. If you haven't read it already, please do!. Coments are love my peeps! Llap -\\/**


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE: Nightmares

McCoy blinked at the girl who claimed to be Scotty's godchild.

"Do you want him to come here?" He asked unsure of what to do.

"If he isn't busy. It's been a long time since we've talked. I don't think he even knows I was assigned to the same ship as my parents."

McCoy frowned. "Alright, I'll make sure he comes by sometime."

After retrieving a hypo to put Madeline to sleep, Nurse Chapel quietly told McCoy, "I called Engineering. Scotty knows she's here but the captain wants him to finish his shift first." She smiled. "Guessing from his reaction, Scotty remembers her well enough to consider coming down anyway."

"Where is she?" Scotty yelled as he practically ran in.

"Right here," Madeline said, raising her hand timidly.

"Och, woman ye ha' ma waitin ou' ma entire shift! Haven't ye no clue ta 'ow stressful tha' be?"

McCoy looked at Chapel, saying with his expression,_ did you understand_ any _of that?_

The girl laughed, painfully aware of the fact that it might tear her stitches.

"Why are ye laughin? Innit funny wot ye've bin doin up 'ere. Makin a poor Scotsman worry bout 'is only family."

"Your mother is still alive." Madeline pointed out helpfully. This was going to make McCoy's day.

Scotty sputtered, not sure how to answer. "Well that's not the point now is it? An' I worry bout her plenty." He then said to himself, " Damn bag's gonna fall an' break her hip."

"Mr. Scott, Madeline's had a long day—do you think you could come back later? We're going to give her a sedative and some more pain medication."

"Aye, make the lil' bugger sleep, so she can get ou' of her punishment." Scotty turned on his heel, asked when he could finish chewing her out, and left with, "Good day, sir!" sounding more British than Scottish.

"Pavel." The monster thing called to him. He continued on running, afraid the weird monster would catch him. It looked and sounded like a siren, like from all those Greek myths his parents had been researching when he was still a child. Then, all of a sudden he was back in the transporter room of the _Enterprise,_ trying desperately to get a lock on Spock's mother. Once again failed to do so, once again saw the look on Spock's face when he reappeared. He didn't move from his spot at the console, mumbling to himself in Russian that he had failed. Again

"Pavel, wake up!"

He gasped and sat up quickly, unexpectedly facing Hikaru Sulu.

Sulu looked at him in the piercing darkness. "Lights on."

Chekov hissed, the sudden brightness in the small area making his head pound painfully.

"You okay? You keep screaming in your sleep." Sulu said, worry clear on his face.

"Da. Da. I'm fine." He muttered. He threw off his blankets, and stumbled to the bathroom, noticing immediately the bags under his eyes and his haggard appearance. He washed his face and got dressed, all the while Sulu watched him with worry.

"Where you going?"

"To take a valk."

"It's three in the morning!" Sulu protested.

"So? No rules against valking in zhe meedle of zhe night." Chekov stepped out into the hallway without waiting for Sulu's reply.

The observation deck was one place that would probably calm him down, but it wasn't that far away, and he wanted to waste time until his morning shift. He thought for a moment of the holodeck, and do so training there, but he didn't feel like fighting. It would seem too reminiscent of his dream.

In the end he decided upon the observation deck. He took the steps to get there, which by turbo lift would be only a five second wait, was instead a grueling three sets of 100 stairs at a 60 degree angle. He didn't mind though. Anything to make himself forget.

When he finally reached his destination, he was greeted by a beautiful lullaby. He must've made a sound because the song suddenly stopped and was replaced by a familiar voice asking, "Who dare enter my realm?"

"It's only me, Max." He said, smiling at her choice of words.

She appeared from behind an old oak tree, bare foot, and with her hair down.

"When did you get here?" She asked, seeming rather disappointed.

"Just now. Vhy?"

"The song I was just singing was supposed to be a surprise." She pouted.

"Sorry. I can go if you vant." He said, feeling rather unwelcome. Chekov took a step back.

Max laughed, a cheerful sound that made him feel a little bit happier. _At least someone is having fun in life_, He thought miserably. "Nah, it's okay. I shouldn't really be alone anyway." Her words seemed to remind her of something, making her suspicious. "What're you doing here? At this _late_ hour. Coming somewhere that's almost _always _empty."

"Nothing. I just—." Chekov had never been that much of a liar. In Russia, if you lied and were caught, there were some serious consequences.

"Come here." Max said firmly, hands on her hips. He sounded like his mother after he had stolen a cookie off the pan while they were still cooling.

Pavel dragged his feet over to where she stood. She unexpectedly took his hands in hers and turned them over to have his wrists showing. Given the way he had stumbled out of bed earlier, he hadn't the time to cover up the angry cuts that covered his wrists. Max looked at the healing wounds for a second and then glanced up at him. He tried to avoid her gaze, tried to ignore the bright green eyes that always seemed half hidden behind stark black hair.

"You've been _hurting _yourself?" She asked quietly. Chekov pulled his hands from her grasp and folded them behind his back. He didn't reply, only stared at the stars as they flew past all around them.

"Pavel why would you do that? You're always so…happy, so vibrant." She sounded hurt herself, as if he had somehow offended her by bringing harm to himself.

"Ve all have our problems." He muttered, walking past Max to sit by the oak tree. She sat next to him, leaning back against the rough bark.

She shook her head. "True, but your not managing it the right way." Chekov didn't reply.

"I should've noticed." Max said to herself. "Either way, don't think your gettin' out of this. To tell you the truth I don't think you've even been near the mess hall in a week." Now she seemed downright mad.

"I haven't eaten in three days." He muttered. It wasn't the right thing to say.

Max didn't do anything he expected. She didn't drag him to the mess hall for food, didn't force him to see McCoy, didn't threaten to tell the captain. She didn't _do _anything.

"You came here because you couldn't sleep, right?" She asked. She grabbed his left hand, inspecting the wounds there. "This one looks infected." She mumbled.

"Yes."

"Because you wanted to be alone?"

"…Yes." He said almost to soft to hear. Max started to leave, but Pavel reached out to grabbed her hand. "I don't vant you to go. I don't know vhat to do. It's just been gnawing at me."

She smiled and sat beside him again. "You want to talk about it?" She asked gently. "No…not yet." He whispered, closing his eyes for a mere second.

Pavel sighed. "Vhy do you ewen bozher vith me. You are three years older. Surely you must have somzing better to do zhen hang out vith zhe child on the ship.

"What makes you think I'm only three years older then you?" She asked. Max had found a small lyre from where she had always hid it in the branches of the old oak tree. She plucked the strings, messing with the pegs until the notes satisfied her.

Chekov only blinked, not knowing how to answer. Max looked up to stare him in the eyes, relatively short compared to the young Russian.

"I swear sometimes you just make me wanna give you a hug." She shook her head, unable to hold back the grin. "Either way. I'm actually five years older then you."

"I never vould've guessed."

She smiled and started singing her the song once more. It was Pavel's Lullaby.

"Listen and surrender to sleep,

live on to remember me.

I'm nothing but a dream,

Sleep on to wake at dawn.

Then you'll see,

I'm nothing but a dream."

**()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())))()()()()()()**

this is the longest chapter so far and I hope it makes sense. Normally I write my stories at around one in the morning, cus that's when I get ideas, but I got yelled at for stayin up to late and now I gotta write as soon as I get up. Any who, you know I love comments! BTW Im gonna try and put the song on youtube, so I'll tell yinz when its up


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR: **Hallelujah

"Hey, where were you? You just stormed off last night." Hikaru asked as Pavel was eating breakfast the next morning.

"I vas… just valking around zhe ship." He lied horribly.

Sulu was about to call him out for lying when the captain himself let a tray hit the table with a dull thud.

"So how's it going guys?" Kirk asked, a stupid grin already plastered on his face.

Pavel looked down, avoiding the captain's gaze. "Fine." He muttered.

"Whoa, since when was Hikaru cool enough to sit with captain?" Max's quiet humor lifted his spirits enough to make him let out a brief laugh. She sat next to Pavel; close enough to make him want to scoot away.

"Jim, you know you missed a physical last night." The doctor came from out of nowhere.

Kirk automatically stuttered, "I…uh forgot Bones. You know how much I have to deal with? SO much paperwork."

Bones McCoy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I bet seein' as how you get Yeoman Rand to do it all for you."

"She was sick." Jim complained. Pavel seemed to shrink away, feeling unwelcome in this giant group of experienced and important people.

McCoy snorted. "Smart idea, lying about someone being sick to the CMO of your ship."

"Riiiight." Jim said, for the moment just trying to keep his eyes from wandering over Max. "And what's your name pretty lady?" He smiled wider.

She grimaced at him. "Lieutenant Shore." She added a second later like a curse, "Sir."

Kirk let out an exasperated sigh. "Do all these woman find it amusing to keep first names secret?"

"Yes." Uhura said, coming to join the party. Spock was in step with her, like her shadow. She frowned at Chekov and said, "Are you okay, honey? You look pale."

That brought him out of his thoughts and he said without thinking, "I am from Russia of course I am pale."

Everyone seemed over taken with laughter with the exception of Spock. Once the laughter had all but dissipated he said, "I fail to see what you find so funny." This brought on another round of howling and hooting.

Pavel finally seemed to notice that Max hadn't gotten anything for breakfast. When he questioned her, she simply said, "I'm not really hungry."

Chekov shot a quick glance at the doctor, but McCoy avoided his gaze.

"What's your favorite color?" Max asked him abruptly.

"Uh…"

He was spared an answer by the arrival of two arguing people. Pavel looked up at Scotty and the girl realizing dully they spoke Gaelic. Scotty said something angrily, causing Uhura to glance up and glare at him.

"Och, sorry. Fergot more 'en one can speak Gaelic."

The girl continued on with her argument. "The way the teleporter works is by reassembling particles in another area after being disassembled. If it's not calibrated right, you're gonna send someone to the wrong place. Like you did with that beagle."

"Vhat happened to zhe beagle?" Chekov asked Max.

She shrugged.

"You lil' bugger! Who told ya bout tha' ?"

The girl said nothing, seeming completely absorbed in the stats and readings on the engineering panel.

"Ah, you must be Madeline. Finally someone who will tell me their first name." Kirk said brightly as he took his seat in the middle of the bridge.

"Let me introduce you to my main crew, Spock, Nyota," Uhura glared at him, "Scotty obviously, the kid navigator, and…"

"Max." She put in for him.

"Hey, I'm Maddy." Madeline said with a small wave. She continued arguing with her godfather.

Kirk smiled again, and then he stood up quickly and came to stand between Chekov and Max. "You two. Come with me."

He led the way down to the transporter room, where Spock and McCoy waited. They were given communicators, tricorders and phasers. They then were told briefly that they were going to go search the wreckage for signs of damage and computers that were still intact in order to discern some fuzzy picture of what happened.

Unfortunately, Chekov could tell from the way they reappeared in midair and in pitch-blackness that this was not the planet they had set the coordinates were supposed to take them.

They fell for a second and fell with a painful thud to a cold rocky ground.

"Everybody okay?" McCoy asked, the small light from his tricorder lighting a little area.

"Yes…" Pavel said, pulling himself of the ground nibly

"Ouch… yeah." Max muttered almost to herself.

"I think?" The captain said like it was a question.

"I am unharmed." Spock intoned.

A bright penlight lit the large space, allowing them to see.

"Holy Great Bird of the Galaxy." McCoy gasped.

Encircling them were almost reptilian people with a pattern of feathers and scales mixed to create a shimmering coat of armor. Sleek bony wings jutted out of their backs; talons made up their feet and hands.

"Where are we?" Max whispered.

"Helllll." One hissed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay yinz, haven't talked to you in a while sorry, but here it goes. 1 I have decided to postpone Seasons of war until this one is done. 2 Im going to switch back and forth between this reality and the prime time line with stories of the same charactors. Don't worry, your not far behind if you haven't read The Romulan Secret. You should probably read it though. (PLEASE DO). 3 Don't worry about not knowing anything about TOS. It's not that different. Unless graphics count. 4 i have drawn book covers for The Romulan Secret and Seasons of War on deviantart. I'll leave a link on my profile page so you can find it. I have to draw one for Rememberance still but i'll get to it. 5 THANKS FOR COMMENTS! leave one if you haven't already! It makes my day! LOTS of thanx to JASPERHALEFOREVER! 6 LLAP... or else**

**CHAPTER 5: **The Only Exception

"I am James—."

"We know who you are." The same harpy thing hissed. "And we don't care. It is he," The thing pointed at Chekov with one long bony talon, "We wish to know."

"Me?" Chekov squeaked his voice going up to an octave Max would've been proud to hear him sing any other time.

"Yessss. You have what we want."

"What could he possibly have that the captain doesn't?" Max snorted, earning a punch to the gut to shut her up.

"Besides a sense of rationality?" McCoy muttered to himself. One of the things hissed at him. "I shall not hurt you, for we need you assss well."

"What for exactly?" McCoy said, sounding brave yet shaking a little. He still wasn't used to this kind of thing; and probably never would be either.

They were greeted by the darkness and were lost in the oblivion of their own minds. McCoy never got his answer.

When Chekov woke, it was because someone shoved him into someone else. "Sorry," He heard Kirk grumble.

Chekov sat up painfully, trying not to bump into Max again, who still lay there next to him out cold.

Everyone else though, was already awake and aware.

"Soo… Where are we?" Kirk asked thoughtfully.

"From what I am able to gather," Spock answered in a bored monotone, " A prison cell."

"Really?" McCoy drawled. "I'd have never guessed."

Max mumbled something and sat up stiffly.

"Where are we?" She asked quietly.

"Ve already established zhat. In a prison cell." Chekov told her.

"Oh. How'd we get here? I forget." Max rubbed eyes.

Pavel told her the quick story, worried that she might have hit her head or something.

"Is she okay?" Kirk asked before Chekov could.

McCoy grumbled something and reached over Chekov to take Max's pulse and to see if her pupils were dilated.

"She's fine." He said quickly, trying to change the subject onto Kirk. "And how are you injury-prone one?" He asked Kirk curtly, scooting past Spock to reach him.

"Okay…I guess." Then he held out one arm to show a long slash from elbow to wrist. "Unless this red stuff isn't supposed to be there."

"You…" One of the Harpy creatures had appeared in front of the cell door, pointing once more at Chekov.

"You just wait a minute-" Max started. A bony arm shot through the bars and grabbed Max by the throat, causing her to choke and gasp for breathe.

"Stop! I'll go. Just leave her be." Chekov yelled. The thing glanced at him with beady black eyes and let Max drop to the floor.

"Come then." Another of the harpies unlocked the door with a silver key and dragged Chekov by the collar toward where ever they wished to take him.

Max gave him one desperate look and he returned it with a small smile. _I'll be okay._ He thought to her, wishing she could somehow here it. _But if I'm not…_

"Shit." Max growled angrily.

"No need for swearing." Kirk told her with unending cheer.

"Really? You do know you just let your youngest crew member walk away with hostiles? Or did you forget?"

"Chekov's a big boy now. He can handle himself." Kirk protested.

"He's seventeen for god's sake Jim." McCoy agreed with Max when it came to this.

"Well if he can drive the ship then I think he can handle this." Kirk said firmly, receiving only a glare from Max and McCoy.

"I must agree with Ms. Shore and the Doctor, Captain." Spock said thoughtfully from his corner in the small cell.

"Though he may be a 'big boy' anyone of us has more experience then he does, when it comes to age and duty."

"…I'm sorry. I'm just trying not to let get to me." Kirk muttered.

"Now let me see that cut. How'd you even get it?" McCoy grumbled, scooting over to Kirk to get a better look at the wound.

"I dunno." Jim said truthfully.

"Gimme your shirt." Bones said, surprising Max into silent laughter. Kirk gave his best grin.

"Didn't know you were that kinda guy Bones." Kirk said, though he complied.

"I'm gonna use to make bandages smart ass."

"I know. It just sounded wrong is all."

"Pervert" Max muttered to herself.

Back on the ship…

"_Acting Cap'n Scott's Log, Supplemental: _

_So far we aven't heard from tha Cap'n and the landin' party. If'n they dinnat respond ta our hails within the next hour or so I will send down a search party ta find them. Also, my godchild, Madeline has been sent back ta Sickbay after havin' a seizure and now lies in an unresponsive comatose. Until the doctor gets back there is lil' anyone can do. Whever ye are cap'n, ye are sorely missed."_


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6:** Mission Improbable

The thud of someone being thrown into their dank cell was what woke Max from her light nap. She gasped and sat up, crawling toward Chekov's limp body.

"Bones," Kirk said, shaking McCoy awake and pointing at Chekov.

McCoy was instantly worried about his new patient. He looked over Pavel, listening for his breathing and taking his pulse.

"_Bozhe Moi!" _Chekov cried out, suddenly conscious. He tried desperately to scramble away from the four that crowded over him, when Max caught his eyes. She stared at him for a long second and he stared back. He said something in Russian to her, becoming even more stressed when she couldn't understand.

Spock said something in reply to Chekov surprising the rest of the group with his knowledge of the terran language. Chekov calmed down enough to switch back to English, his accent heavy in most every word.

"Are you hurt?" Max asked, looking over him carefully.

"I don't know. I ken't tell." He whispered sinking to the ground weakly.

"He's not bleeding or anything." Kirk pointed out, trying his best to seem smart.

"It could be internal though," Max argued.

"Oh. Okay."

"I think," He gasped, curling a skinny arm around his chest, "Thet I mey have cracked a rib."

"What did they do to you?" Max asked, clearly angry. Fists clenched at her sides, knuckles white.

"Zhey asked me questions." He took a slow breath and continued. "But I didn't know zhe answers, so I said nuzing."

"So they hurt you for not knowing." Max concluded, her irritation growing by the second.

Chekov didn't reply.

For nearly ten minutes no one spoke. Then Kirk said to break the silence, "I'm hungry."

"How can you possibly be thinking about food in a time like this?" McCoy drawled.

Kirk shrugged. "I dunno."

"Scott to Sickbay." The acting captain spoke gloomily to the computer as he waited for the link to connect. It took only a second. "No change in her condition, Scotty. I'm sorry." Nurse Chapel's voice filtered over the com system without even announcing her name. She was now used to Scotty checking in every hour with the same hopeful question. Chapel promised he would be the first to know if her condition changed, but he continued on calling as if he didn't believe she told the truth.

Nurse Chapel shook her head as she walked away from the wall. This wasn't going to be fun.

"Can you sit up?" McCoy asked Chekov. He nodded after thinking for a second, unsure whether or not he could.

He leaned heavily against the cold stonewall, pulling himself up slowly. When pain flashed white-hot across his ribcage he fell back, making Max come a little closer so she could help him.

Chekov was still tired, even after sleeping more than usual. Right now he just wanted to curl up in a corner- preferably a warm corner- and sleep for the rest of his life. It seemed unlikely that would happen, seeing as how McCoy poked at him every hour to make sure he hadn't been poisoned or something.

He had been drifting into a light sleep when he woke and realized someone was missing. Max was gone.

"Where's…?" He started.

"She's been gone for nearly an hour." Kirk answered. Kirk always seemed to notice the lack of women.

Chekov stretched forward, trying to see anything he could through the cell bars. He managed to glimpse only a sliver of a white room on the far left. He strained his neck to see more. Chekov saw a quick blur of frenzied movement and heard a loud cry. It was silenced almost as soon as it was voiced. Chekov realized with dull horror it had been Max who screamed.

He will never know how long he had his face pressed to the bars, but he was shaken to reality when McCoy yanked him back roughly. Chekov was too tired to even acknowledge the pain.

"They're coming." McCoy told him tersely.

Max was lead toward them. She had her head down, hair obscuring view of her expression. She glanced at him for a brief second than looked away quickly. Her eyes were black. Chekov tried to pry himself lose of McCoy, but found himself unable.

"Pavel." She whispered, without making eye contact. "Come with me."

McCoy paused for a second and let him go. Pavel met his somber gaze for a moment, and stood painfully upright. He tried desperately to catch Max's eyes, but had no success. She ignored him utterly. Her body trembled, as if she fought to control herself.

Max led him to the same white room he had managed to glimpse earlier. There, stood three of the harpy creatures. He stood motionless in the center of the room as they walked around him, speculating how they might wish to kill him. They all were almost a foot taller than him.

One dragged an ivory talon across his cheek, smiling evilly as red slowly dripped from the cut. Still he didn't flinch.

"Kill him." One hissed at Max, tossing a dagger to her. She caught without looking up and walked forward slowly. The three creatures came in close, anticipating and hoping for a gruesome show.

Pavel took a single step back and whispered, "Max…no."

"Have any last words?" One directed at Chekov.

"I do." Max said quietly. "Imzadi!" She growled. Her eyes flared black as she thrust the knife behind her without turning, and killed one instantly with their own blade. She spun and attacked the next, quickly grabbing the keys and throwing them to Chekov. They flew past him as he struggled and failed to catch them. The unoccupied one jumped for them, Chekov ran as fast as he could – but the thing was too fast. It snatched them up in one hand smiled at him sweetly. The harpy reached forward, as if to grab him- and stopped short. Cliché as it may be, the tip of a silver blade stuck through the creatures abdomen and it fell without another sound but that of agony.

The last harpy thing hissed angry and stomped toward them from where it inspected its fallen comrade.

"Pavel! Just go get the others! I'll be fine!" Max cried as she engaged the last harpy.

"I von't leave you!" He replied, searching for a weapon after slipping the keys on his belt.

"Just go! I'll catch up!"

He stood, indecisive.

"Go!" She screamed.

Chekov finally ran. Feeling horrid about leaving one of his comrades and close friends in the line of fire, he ran toward his Captain and commanding officers.

They all jumped at the sight of him and huddled around the entrance of the dank cell. After his shaking hands managed to slide the proper key into the lock, Chekov freed them.

"Which way?"

As if in answer, a communicator flew from the doorway where Max still fought. Kirk raced to it and flipped it open.

"Miss Shore!" Kirk called after confirming a beam up in ten seconds. "You might want to hurry."

"I'm doing the best I can!" She shouted angrily.

Spock simply ran forward and did a nerve pinch on the alien before they reappeared in a familiar room. Both Max and Chekov collapsed with the prospect of freedom.

"I didn't know you vere a Betazoid." Chekov said later that day when they sat in Sickbay with little to do but rest.

"You never asked." She muttered. "And I'm only half betazoid. My mother was human."

"Facsinating." Spock said from the other side of the room. McCoy was giving the landing party a physical and Spock was up. "You have hidden your abilities well. I have not even sensed your telepathic print."

"Probably cause I don't use it often."

"Vhy?"

"I just don't like knowing everything about everyone, okay?"

"Even more so fascinating." Spock continued. "A human who will willing respect personal boundaries."

"Yeah," McCoy snorted. "Not even you can do that Spock."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Vhy did you use them then?"

"They made me. They were trying to overtake my mind. They thought they had, so they tried testing my loyalty by telling me to kill you. They had strong telepathic minds. But I was slightly better." She shrugged, as if it meant little to their escape.

"Did you know…" Chekov asked McCoy.

"Course I did. I know everythin'. I'm god, remember?"

Kirk waltzed in just then his, sulking about his need to take a physical and the fact that McCoy had yet to fix up his cut arm with some, most likely painful treatment.

"You guys need to rest up, we're heading back with some security guards in two days."

"Why?"

"Our first mission was simply a recon mission. Now we need to know what's going on."

Just then a loud whistle interrupted.

"McCoy here."

"_Doctor we need you in the ICU."_

"Has Madeline's condition changed?"

_"She's woken up."_


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7: Luck of the Scottish

"Scotty?" Madeline said, not moving her eyes from him.

"Yes?"

"Did engineering blow up?"

Scotty chuckled for a minute before answering with a simple, "No." Then he looked at her seriously and asked, "Why di' ya say thot? At least I dinnat thin' it has." He frowned deeply. "Maybe I should check…"

Maddy started laughing hysterically, ignoring the aggrieved look both Dr. McCoy and her godfather gave her.

"You feeling okay?" McCoy asked as he stabbed her with several needles and took blood samples.

"Fine. Better than fine. Why?"

"Because…" McCoy paused as he pricked each of her fingers with a little needle. "You've been in a coma."

"Really?" Maddy mused. " Fascinating." She gave a glance at Spock and smiled at him evilly. "I said it before you could."

"Doctor, as her sense of humor is quite the same, I believe she is quite well."

"Quiet hobgoblin. No one asked you." McCoy muttered.

"Can I go? I want to go down to the engine room."

"Jeez Scotty! Are you sure you're not her real father or somethin'?"

"I'm not tha' old." Scotty said sounding dejected.

"It's odd really." McCoy quickly changed the subject. "You were in a coma for what? Three days? Either way you've been in a coma, now your awake without any medical explanation and plus you're completely healthy."

"Facsin—"

"If one more person says fascinating I will puke."

"Fine by me." Maddy said. "Just means one of the orderlies has to clean it up."

"Can I go?" Max asked hopefully.

"No. I wanna make sure your condition hasn't changed over the last couple a days." McCoy winced and put his head down, looking as if he had just given something important away.

"Awww, come on. It's been like, a week since I had any trouble with my asthma."

Bones gave her one quick surprised look than smoothed his expression.

"I know. But you're Betazoid half is making it somewhat unpredictable." His words seemed to mean something else other than asthma.

Max pouted for a second and said, "Can I talk to you about something Doctor?"

"…Sure."

The two of them walked into McCoy's office. The door hissed shut.

"Somehow, the fact that she's half betazoid just makes her even more hot." The captain grinned. "But seeing as she's already been taking…" Kirk looked over to Chekov suggestively.

Kirk ignored the astonished look Pavel gave him and turned his attention on Madeline. "You doing anything tonight?"

"Yes." She replied immediately.

"Hey Maddy." Max reappeared from McCoy's office. The doctor stood behind her, seeming to watch her every move.

"You wanna come hang out with us tonight? " She tipped her head toward Pavel, explaining that he was part of 'us'

"Could use your feedback on the chorus."

"If the doctor lets me out of here, sure."

"Hey!" Kirk complained. "You said you were busy."

"Well I am now."

"Okay, first song. Requests?"

"How about we sing the Russian one for him?" Shyana suggested, pointed at Pavel.

Chekov was surprised. No one had said they were singing a song in his language.

"Ooh good idea. Pavel can you help us with diction and stuff?"

"I guess?" He said like a question.

"_Bogoroditse Devo, radusya,_ Blagodatnya Marie, Gospod Tt v zhenah I blagoslaven plod chreva Tvoyego, yako Spasa rodila yesi dush nashih." He mumbled to himself. Pavel easily recognized this song, written by Sergei Vassilivich. It was one of the songs in his entire piece that everyone waited for.

"Rough translation, but close enuf." All the girls looked down at him expectantly. "Sing it quick. I'll see vhat you need to improve."

They sang through the slow, beautiful song. Max sat next to him, looking troubled. He nudged her with his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Hmmm? Oh. I'm fine."

"You sure? You seem wery…distant. Vhy are you not singing vith zhe others though?"

"I'm just… tired." She looked up at him. Chekov was surprised to see her eyes were watering.

"Ignore me. You're supposed to listen." She sniffed.

Just then the song ended. Madeline cheered loudly.

"Uhh… Just remember to roll your r's. Like a tribble." He added.

Immediately, the girls started to trill softly yet loud enough for people outside the auditorium to look in, hoping to see some of the furry creatures.

"Okay, back to business." Max interrupted after wiping away tears and clearing her throat. "Here." She shoved a copy of the song in his hand. "Sing the tenor part with them."

"But…" He started. Too late. Max pushed him into the middle of the group of giggling girls. "If you sing, I will too."

"I don't know eet zhough." He protested.

"I'll sing tenor with you then." Max said, exasperated. "'Kay guys, remember it changes to six fourths at measure fifteen. One, two, three…"

"That was so awesome!" Madeline exclaimed after they had finished the practice.

"Da. It vas," Chekov agreed.

"You play anything? I noticed how badly you refused to sing."

"Yeah…" Maddy chuckled. "I suck at singing. Like really bad. I play viola and piano though."

"Awesome! I play violin, cello, and viola."

"I play violin and piano. Zhats it."

"Technically, you sing and your voice is an instrument so that's another for you."

"I feel untalented now." Madeline said.

"Aww come on, piano is like, impossible. I could never get the left hand doing something different then the right hand thing."

"We should get together and play sometime." Madeline suggested.

"Definitely, we should-."

A siren blared, lights flashed red.

"Oh no," Max moaned.

Madeline ran toward engineering, and Max and Pavel ran the other way, toward the Bridge.

When they arrived, it wasn't a good sight that greeted them on the view screen. It was a romulan ship.

They both took their seats.

"Uhura! Hail them." Kirk called over the blaring noise. "Chekov turn that alarm off!" Chekov scrambled to comply.

"I have them captain."

"On screen."

"Captain. It isss wonderful to ssssee you again." The grotesque harpy thing is what appeared, instead of romulans.

"You too… What did you say your name was now?"

"I am Sssilver Sssun, by your transsslation," The thing purred. It finally seemed to notice the others on the ship. It's gaze stayed on Max for a long time.

"If you wish not to be dessstroyed, I sssugesst you hand over the boy." One claw extended toward Chekov. It seemed that a lot of people had pointed at him today, Chekov mused to himself, trying hard to ignore the scrutiny of the odd thing that wanted so much to kill him.

"No!" Max hissed. "You know he doesn't have what you want."

"Miss Shore, sit please." Kirk said softly. Max sat dully, not even remembering that she had stood.

"I must agree. We have no reason to hand over Mr. Chekov."

It's claws clicked together absently.

"Besides, we have done nothing to harm your people. We come here only in the name of exploration for our legion."

"We fight for who we shall not name. What iss your decision human?"

"Unless you name yourselves and your interest for my navigator, _and_ why you have a romulan ship, Mr. Chekov isn't going anywhere."

"Fine. You ssshall be dessstroyed in the name of Fate."

"Mr. Chekov, raise shields!"

He didn't do so fast enough though. The phasers struck main engineering, and the ship lurched.

The shields came up in time to block another burst of fire.

"Star board shields down to swenty percent Keptin."

"Aye, Mr. Chekov." Kirk acknowledged. "Status report on engineering?"

"Captin'? We've had heavy damage to main auxillary, and there' some that need patchin' up but were doin whot we can."

"Good Scotty." Just before the connection was broken, Kirk heard a bit of shouting and an explosion. Max winced and shivered violently.

"It felt like death." She whispered.

"I felt it as well Miss Shore." Spock stated quietly.

"Front shields ten percent,"

"I know Chekov." Kirk growled. "Evasive maneuvers, Miss Shore, when I say… Now!"

_SHREEEEE!_ The beam zipped past, tearing into the side of the main saucer where the bridge was centered. Everyone was thrown from their seats as stations blew, one at a time.

Chekov got up, slowly, then, realizing the severity of their current situation, looked hurriedly to his station. The lights were dim and the touch screen unresponsive.

Instead he simply looked to the view screen.

Chekov gasped; the mere movement suggested his ribs rebroken.

"Keptin." He breathed heavily. "The ship. Eet's gone!"

It was Spock who recovered first from the shock of their luck.

"Fascinating. They have not finished their task of annihilating us, yet they recede."

"Max?" Chekov murmured quietly.

The girl lay on the floor, sprawled in an uncomfortable postion.

She moaned and struggled to open her eyes. "It's too much, too much too much." She whispered to herself, curling into a ball, not seeming to notice Chekov.

She lay there, unresponsive to him or anyone else. Then she looked up. "Are you okay?" He didn't answer. "No you're not." She answered her own question. She moaned again and rubbed her the back of her head tenderly. "I think I hit my head. I feel a little…loopy."

"Bridge to Sickbay." I heard Uhura say frantically.

"McCoy here. What is it? I'm kinda busy."

"The Captain seems to be severely injured. We have a few serious injuries that can't wait."

A pause, then "I'll be right there."

A small fire emanated from the engineering station on the other side of the bridge, suffering it's own burning fate.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8: Background Check

"In Sickbay…again." Kirk sighed. He rubbed nervously at the bandages around his waist and lay there, incredibly bored.

Aside from him was Chekov, asleep and tangled in his blankets like a puppy. He looked young —while younger- when he was sleeping, a smile faintly curving his lips.

Max laid on her side her back turned. She looked like she was resting as well, but Kirk couldn't tell the difference.

"I'm not asleep." She murmured.

"How'd you know I was thinking that?" Kirk asked.

"I guessed." She said, turning to face him. "When are we getting out here?" She asked him, as if Kirk had some control over how long they had to stay.

"I dunno." He said simply, then called loudly, "Bones, when do we get out of here?"

"_Shhhhh." _ Max pointed at Chekov.

"Well they can go." Bones said quietly motioning toward Max and Chekov. "But you're staying for another day or two."

"Awww _Bones._ Why?"

"I don't wanna hear it Jim. You got impaled by a chunk of metal a while back and just now woke up from surgery. You ain't going anywhere."

"Okay." Kirk sighed.

McCoy walked into his office after giving Kirk a suspicious glare.

"Do you know these people trying to kill us?" Kirk questioned after a second of silence.

Max stiffened. "No. But they know me." Kirk didn't reply, thoroughly surprised. "Don't you read anyone's file?" She sighed as if it were to be expected. "I suppose not."

"How do they know you?"

"I was raised on Earth by my father. My mother left me there with him and didn't tell anyone where she was going. Seventeen years later she comes back and asks me if I want to go with her on a big adventure." She scowled, the memory seeming to haunt her. "At the age of seventeen you want to do everything, and think you can do it better than anyone else. I was a perfect example of that. I went with her."

Kirk felt a pang of sympathy. He was _still_ like that, and most the time he ended up in Sickbay because of it.

"She was part of some weird cult. I don't know the name of it. She never told me. None of them did." Chekov stirred in his sleep, causing Max to pause and glance at him. She lowered her voice a little. "Those people, the harpies, were only a small part of the cult that my mother worked with. Their leaders are hard to find and even harder to eradicate." Chekov mumble something in Russian and turned over. Max now whispered, "They scared me. They tried to make me use my betazoid half to do terrible things- I ran as soon as I could stow away on a ship that passed through our route. The ship I was on was the _U.S.S Spartan."_

If Kirk was speechless before he was completely baffled now.

"They found me on the second day. Madeline wasn't on the ship at that point. She was still at the Academy. But her mom had just taken over the ship as captain. She was nice enough not to throw me out the airlock or feed me to the warp nacelles. She was also nice enough to give me a room and let me stay until they reached a star base. That's where I first became interested in starships altogether. So I went to Space station K-7 and waited for a shuttle my father sent to come get me." She stopped when Pavel muttered something incoherent and tossed around again. Max gave Chekov a worried glance and reached over to wake him.

"Pavel. _Pavel._ Wake up."

Chekov gasped awake, wrenching himself away from Max's touch.

"It was just a dream." She told him firmly.

"Just a dream." Chekov murmured. "It didn't feel like a dream."

Max didn't do anything to contradict him, and instead changed the subject. "We can get out of here if you want."

"Da. Let's go." He said hurriedly. Chekov finally seemed to notice the captain. "Keptin." He said, acknowledging Kirk's existence dully.

"Hey, I need a favor from you two."

"Anything, Keptin." Chekov said tiredly.

"I need you two to go down planet and find the leader of the harpy things."

Max grimaced. "Aye, Captain."

"You can bring some people along with you if you want."

"Aye, sir. And Captain?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we supposed to go today or tomorrow?"

"Uhh… I don't know… tomorrow?"

Max smiled for a second and walked away with Chekov, heading to the mess hall.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Max asked Chekov. For the most part Chekov only spoke to answer simple questions. The rest of the time he sat staring at a wall thinking about home.

"I miss Russia." Was his answer.

Max laughed quietly. "So you're home sick?"

He nodded, playing with the glass in front of him. He gently slid his finger around the rim of the cup, and made a pretty chiming note.

"B flat." Max told him, using her superior music knowledge. "I don't really miss home much anymore. No one left on earth related to me really. Except for cousins I've never met."

"Hey guys." Madeline suddenly appeared, taking a seat next to Max.

"Hey. What's up?" Max asked absently.

"The sky. Nah just kidding. Anyway, I was wondering if yinz wanted to come play a song or two with me."

"Sure." Max instantly brightened at the suggestion.

"_Poet and peasant overature._" Max read off the ancient sheet music handed to her. Another was _Concerto in G major._ The next was a copy of _Row your boat_.

"Come on we'll play a round of it. We can sing it to."

"I don't know zhe vords."

"Really? Huh. Okay we'll teach you."

"This is ridiculous." Pavel said once he was given a piece of paper with the words written on it.

"Speaking of ridiculous," Max said as she tuned her cello string by string, "We have a mission tomorrow and you're invited to tag along."

"What are we gonna do?" Maddy asked, plucking a Celtic tune on her viola.

Max scowled. "Find my mother and capture her."


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9: ** A Piece of the Action

Once the shimmering of the transporter was gone, Chekov knew they were in for a bad day.

They fell the same short distance they had the first trip, seeing as how Scotty hadn't changed the coordinates or re-synced the transporter. This time however, no one was there to greet them.

They waited until their eyes had adjusted to light then trekked forward in the dark, toward a small sliver of light that was probably a door out.

"Pavel, gimme your hand." Max whispered. Chekov blushed, suddenly glad it was to dark for their eyes to register color. He reached out with his left hand and found Max by touch.

"Maddy take his other hand."

"'Kay."

"Vhy are ve doing zhis?" Chekov asked feeling awkward between the two women.

"So we don't get separated. Now shush."

The light was blocked for a second by a passing figure, causing both girls to fall to the ground. They yanked him down to the floor. The three stayed on the cold floor for nearly 5 minutes before Max deemed it safe to get up and move around.

They reached the door a minute later, approaching cautiously. Max pushed on it gently. The door creaked open, loud enough to alert anyone who might be near by.

"Spit on it."

"Vhat?"

"Spit on the hinges so it'll stop creaking." Max said in a quick impatient whisper.

Maddy and Chekov did so, feeling a bit ridiculous. This time, the door didn't make a sound.

"Where too?" Maddy whispered, hand hovering nervously over her phaser.

Pavel glanced around, thinking that this place was just as bleak and scary as the people who resided here. Everywhere he looked, shadows seemed to dance across his vision.

"I don't know. I can't feel…anything." Max closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temples.

"Max!" Pavel cried, realizing he had seen a person, not a shadow. Max whirled around as the figure jumped and tried to stab her.

Max caught her mother's wrist and twisted, making the betazoid drop the blade.

"Mother." Max said coldly, not relinquishing her grip.

"Maxine. You have returned." Her mother grinned. Madeline now gripped her phaser, her eyes fixed on the betazoid.

"Not because you wished me to." Max said, irritated by the thought.

Chekov stepped a tiny bit closer to Max, feeling oddly protective. This earned him a glance from Max's mother.

"I didn't know you had a lover." Her mother said, grinning like a menace.

"He's just a friend." Max argued, her voice shaking.

"Hardly. I don't have to be a betazoid to see the way you look at each other." Chekov noticed the slightest movement of the woman's hand.

Max dropped her mother's hand, and took a single step back. "You know nothing about me." Max muttered angrily.

"On the contrary," She replied, "I know everything." The betazoid spun around and with a quick flick of the wrist threw a shimmering blade at Chekov.

He barely managed to duck in time and have the instance to look up and notice that the woman had come to him. He felt the cold blade pierce his skin before he realized she had another knife hidden. Chekov gasped and stumbled back, pulling the blade from his shoulder and tripping, falling on his back. The betazoid advanced on him quickly. Before the woman reached him, Max and Maddy tackled her and drove her to the ground beside him.

"Pavel!" Maddy managed to gasp out, "Enterprise now!"

Chekov stumbled away, searching for his communicator. Why wasn't it on his belt? Everything was a little fuzzy. He supposed it might have been because of his wound. He couldn't find it. He couldn't even _see _straight.

"Don't move." Something hissed. Instantly, Chekov jerked back. He received a nasty blow to his injured shoulder, hard enough to make him see colors and feel sick to his stomach. His fell to his knees and one arm, cradling his right arm gingerly. Pavel could already feel blood dripping down the length of his tunic, dimly aware that Max stood right in front of him, struggling to subdue the guard that came out of nowhere. Where was Maddy? And what about the person had tried to kill him?

That was about when they were overrun by the harpies. Max disengaged her fight and rushed over, falling to her knees in order to grab him tightly and not let go as they were dragged away to that same dank prison cell.

He saw Max's eyes go dark as she stared at him worriedly. She pressed on the with force, only replying to his cry of pain with, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." It was about then when he blacked out.

"Is he okay?" Maddy asked in a quiet whisper.

"Not even close." Max said bitterly. She looked around quickly, still not releasing the pressure on Pavel's shoulder.

"We can't even bandage it really." She muttered, pulling a dirty blanket closer with one foot so she cold pick it up.

"Come here. Put pressure on it while I do something."

Maddy did so obediently. Max pulled a pin out of her hair and snapped in two, taking the straighter piece and setting it aside. Then she took the blanket and searched along the seam, finding a bit of thin string that probably was all that held it together. She tugged on the thread, and pulled it free. Immediately the cloth started to unravel at the slightest touch. With a fingernail, Max cut a furrow into the plastic of the hairpin and tied the string into the small crease.

"Lets hope this works." She mumbled. Maddy moved her hands from the wound. Blood welled up there, but not as fast as it had previously.

As quickly as possible, Max sowed up the wound with the make shift suture. It worked better then expected.

"Get some sleep," Max suggested. Maddy glanced at Chekov. Max still pressed her hands on his shoulder, not completely trusting the stitches. "I'll stay up with him. I have a plan to get out tomorrow, so rest up."

"What about you?"

Max's eyes flared black with emotion for a minute. "I'll be fine."

Chekov stirred and opened his eyes. His shoulder ached horribly.

"Pavel?" Max whispered.

He answered with a quiet moan.

"Pavel, don't move."

Well, why would he move anyway? He already felt bad enough.

"Just play dead."

That was going to be easy. Chekov already felt like he was dead.

Footsteps echoed through the hall.

"You _monster._" Max growled.

"I did what I had to." Her mother replied coolly.

"You killed him. He didn't do anything to you!"

"But he's done plenty to you. Look at yourself Maxine. You're dying. You could be living your life without any regrets. You could change the _world._ But no." Her mother said in a disgusted tone. "You choose to spend your time on a starship, working for the Federation. Have you no wish to follow the footsteps of your family?"

Chekov was shocked. Max was dying?

"I did follow my parents. Not you, but my father. I took that path because he was there with me my entire life. You were never there. I'll never forgive you for that."

"Take them away. I never want to see any of them again. Do whatever you want. Kill them, torture them, whatever."

When the guard came into their little enclosure, Max zipped forward, knocking out the guard with a round house kick, pulling a communicator of the harpies belt and grabbing a fistful of her mother's clothing. "Scotty. Now!" Max hissed, before her mother could manage to push away.

With a golden shimmer, they reappeared on the _Enterprise._

A second later Max fell to the ground next to him, panting. She pulled a silver knife from her ribs and looked at him. She smiled and whispered. "It's just a flesh wound," She passed out.

Security guards and a severely pissed off Madeline, wrestled the crazy betazoid on the ground.

McCoy promptly ran in, checking first Max. The nurses whisked her away. Chekov didn't bother trying to escape blackness this time.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: **Dark Side of the Moon

Pavel woke what seemed like seconds later, in a Sickbay bed, with Nurse Chapel standing over him.

He sat bolt upright, only to be pushed back down again by the worried nurse. "Don't move."

Chekov remained upright despite the pain in his shoulder and bruises he didn't remember receiving.

"Where's Max?" He said. When the nurse gave him an unsure and even more concerned look he tried again, making sure to use the correct language.

"In surgery. The cancer is going to complicate—" Chapel stopped, knowing she had given something away.

"No." Pavel whispered, finally falling back against bed weakly. That was why McCoy was so worried about Max. That was why Max wasn't eating, why she tried so hard to be happy. _She was dying_.

"Pavel," Nurse Chapel said softly. "Dr. McCoy is a great surgeon. She'll pull through."

"I'm not so sure zhis time."

Frantically, Madeline pressed out a long equation on the keypad in front of her. The ship was under attack. As soon as the harpies had realized their leader to be missing they had blamed the _Enterprise_ and started a heavy attack on the ship.

The romulan war bird had disabled Main Engineering and injured many of the people stationed there. Madeline managed to get away unscathed, and headed to Auxiliary, hoping to regain some power.

"We've lost control of helm and navigations." Uhura reported over the auxiliary com once Maddy had contacted the bridge to make them aware she had things under control- if you considered this control anyway.

"Come on…" She urged the computer. Waiting for it to load took forever, and waiting was a luxury the _Enterprise_ didn't have time for. "Uhura, I've got minimal control back for Navigations, Chekov can—"

"Chekov isn't on Bridge." Uhura said. It was hard to hear her over the blaring of the red alert, as well as Spock's loud, yet completely calm orders. "He's in Sickbay

_ I had forgotten he was hurt. _"Well get him the hell up there!" She said, surprising her self with the use of the word. "I can't trust anyone else up there with how delicate the system is!"

"Bridge to McCoy." Pavel heard. The sudden call broke through a misty haze of thoughts. His head hurt from who knows what and the knife wound throbbed in unison with his heart, a dull ache in his chest that at this point, he wished would just stop completely.

"Chapel here. McCoy's in surgery. What do you need?"

"More like whom, Nurse. We need Mr. Chekov to report to the Bridge."

" isn't in very good health right now, Commander. Certainly there is an ensign that can take his place."

"Not in this circumstance, no. Do whatever you can for him and send him up. Spock out."

Chekov was already standing up, ready to go.

"I'll give some pain meds and you can leave."

"Thank you." Chekov said.

Chekov arrived exactly 2 minutes after Spock had requested him to.

Uhura handed the communications earpiece to him and said, "Madeline wants to talk to you."

"Chekov here." He said quietly.

"Good, your back. I need you to keep the starboard side protected. That's where we're taking most of the damage." Chekov taped furiously on the panel, and the ship tilted at a crazy angle then spun around, now the port side facing the romulan war bird.

"Fire when ready." She told him.

For a moment, everything seemed silent, and then, the photon torpedo struck home.

The romulan war bird drifted.

"Great shot, now—" The war bird fired a last shot and Chekov retaliated with out thinking. This time, the ship didn't fire again.

Chekov could here multiple explosions through the earpiece, and immediately he remembered that someone was still on the other line. "Good job—Loverboy." Madeline gasped. After a ragged breath she fell silent.

"No!" Chekov cried, throwing down the earpiece and running off the bridge as fast as he could to get to auxiliary control.

When he arrived he scrambled through a half open door and looked through torn metal in search of his friend. He didn't find her.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11: **Rememberance

Completely numb of anything but pain and grief, Chekov lay still on the diagnostics table, trying to ignore the thoughts that plagued his mind as Nurse Chapel tugged the thread from his wound and resealed it. A sharp pain made him flinch away, only increasing the discomfort.

"Sorry." Chapel apologized. He didn't reply, continuing to stare ahead blankly. He knew that McCoy was a great surgeon and that Max would probably, hopefully, be okay.

But still. He had already lost one friend today, and he couldn't bear the idea that Max would die as well. He tried to be positive, but found it hard to do when all he could think about was Madeline's last words to him. Loverboy? Pavel couldn't make sense of it.

McCoy walked into the room with a deep sigh, wiping blood from his hands and coming over to borrow Nurse Chapel. They walked far enough away from Pavel's bed so that he could not hear them. McCoy shot a worried glance at him, immediately telling Pavel something was wrong. Very wrong.

His heart started racing again, and now everyone could tell as the computer above him blared.

Instantly, Dr McCoy was at his side, explaining the situation. "It's okay, Chekov. Calm down."

When he didn't calm down, McCoy took another glance at the monitor above Chekov's head and swore silently. The knife wound had become infected and was once again bleeding. A fever had flared up.

"Damn." McCoy said, pulling a hypo out of the nurse's hand and depressing the button to give Pavel the correct amount.

"Listen, Max is okay for the moment. She survived the surgery but she's weak. She's resting right now," McCoy said as he continued administering several different hypos.

"What Max has is a rare form of cancer that attacked her human half. Her betazoid half made it hard to diagnose and by then it was too late. I removed the small tumor

Chekov felt woozy, and barely managed to answer. "But she vill be okay?"

McCoy paused in his frantic rebinding of Chekov's wound to glance down at him. "I can't promise you that."

"Och, Maddy." Scotty whispered to himself, resting his head on his desk. "Always were a wee bi' to much like ye crazy godfather." Scotty knew he'd lost one of his last people left in family when his father had died, but now that he had lost his only godchild he felt even emptier then he had after his fathers death.

Now the only way he thought he could fill the void was by committing himself fully to the work at hand.

Scotty stood and walked out of his quarters. For a second he faltered at the memory of Maddy as a child, playing with little starship toys that he had gotten her for Christmas. He shook his head, not allowing tears to fall.

_"Pavel." Someone whispered in his fevered dreams. He tried desperately to hide away in his mind, trying to avoid the voice that wished to harm him._

_ A second ago, he had been running from the very same voice, the voice of Max's mother._

_ "She'll be dead by the time you can reach her." Maria whispered, her tone full of malice. _

_ "No." Pavel whispered to himself._

_ "What would you be able to do anyway? You're just a child. Don't fool yourself. She wants nothing to do with you."_

_ "That's not true."_

_ "It is true. You just won't acknowledge it." Maria smiled evilly at him. "You're blinded by love." She cooed._

_ Just before Chekov could attack the menacing betazoid he woke—_

He gasped and sat up, bashing his head of McCoy's, who stood above him.

Chekov fell back with a groan. "I em sorry, Doktor."

McCoy rubbed his forehead and said gruffly, "I shouldn't have startled you. Max wants to see you."

Immediately, Chekov sat up again, but winced when the wound on his shoulder shrieked in protest.

"Let me see that." McCoy grumbled, pulling the bandages away from the injury to look at how they were healing. It was starting to bleed again.

"Chris, could you go get me a suture kit? Our sealants won't work. We're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way." McCoy asked of Christine Chapel.

"Yes, Doctor."

"And a painkiller too."

"Of course."

Chekov looked vaguely at the needle McCoy had in hand, then at the painkiller Chapel handed him.

The swift shot reminded him of something. "Vait— vhat about Max?" He asked quickly, meeting McCoy's eyes.

"She knows you're not in good shape. She can wait for a minute. Now, sit back and stay still or I'll have to knock you out."

Chekov complied without comment, gritting his teeth and keeping his eyes shut tight in anticipation of the needle pricking the sensitive skin around the lesion.

He kept silent throughout the procedure, unwilling to show any kind of emotion for the sake of the doctor, who had obviously been straining under the pressure of seeing someone his age in so much pain, whether it be physical or emotional.

"Okay," McCoy said finally, "I'm done." Letting the tools clatter onto the table next to him, McCoy ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "Think you can stand on your own?"

"Da," Pavel said, sliding his legs out from underneath the covers and onto the cool floor. He stood under his own power with little ache from anything more then stiff muscles.

"She's in there," McCoy said, pointing to a room of to the side while he treated another wounded officer.

"Max?"

"I'm here, Pavel." Max murmured faintly.

Pavel sat next to her bed and started apologizing frantically, "I em sorry. I should have—"

"It's not your fault." She said with a small laugh. "I was so caught up in revenge that you nearly got killed." She paused, thinking. "I'm the one who should apologize. I should have told you about my cancer a long time ago Pavel. But I was afraid that you would be angry."

This brought a distressed laugh from Pavel, "I could never be angry at you. Especially over somezing you cannot control."

"I know that now." Max reached a hand out to him and he leaned toward her unconsciously so she could tousle his curly hair.

"Max, about Madeline…" Pavel started brokenly.

"I know Pavel. I know." She whispered. "Now, Pasha, I need you to listen closely."

Chekov pulled away from her, fearing what was coming.

"I'm not going to make it."

"Nyet! Don't say zhat!" He cried out, unashamed tears flowing down his face.

"I must say it. I need you to do something for me."

"Please…" Chekov whispered brokenly.

"I need you to give this to Uhura. She'll know what to do. And another thing," Max held out papers with music on it. Pavel took them without even looking at them any closer.

"Max, don't do zhis to me…"

"I just want you to remember me. That's all. I want someone to know I lived."

"I would never dare forget you." Pavel said forlornly, tears still streaking down his face.

"I love you, Pavel." She whispered before falling into a deep slumber.

"I love you, Max." Chekov said a second after she had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

Scrubbing bitter tears away with one sleeve, Pavel walked out of the small, privet, room and out into Main Sickbay.

"She's asleep." Pavel muttered to McCoy. "Can I go take something to Uhura?" He asked vacantly.

McCoy thought for a moment. "I suppose. Just be careful."

While walking up to the Bridge, Chekov finally noticed something. At the top of the hand written music sheet a title was penned in. It was Pavel's Lullaby.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**: The needs of the many…

"Nyota?" Pavel said quietly, after knocking on the communication officer's door. For a second he wasn't sure she he had heard him, until the door slid open to reveal Uhura's slim form. "Max wanted me to give zhis to you." He mumbled, holding out the papers to her. As if knowing something was bothering the navigator, Uhura pulled him into a hug before taking the sheaf of music.

"I'm so sorry Pavel." She told him genuinely. Uhura gave him another bear hug and switched to Russian. "You'll be okay."

"Thank you, Uhura." He smiled for a moment, glad that Uhura was like a big sister to him.

"Do you want me to sing this for you?" She asked softly, noticing the title.

"Not yet." Pavel told her. "I have to go back to Sickbay."

"I'll come by later okay?"

Chekov simply nodded.

But Chekov didn't go back to Sickbay. Instead he wandered back to his room without thinking. When he got there, he muttered to himself, "Now vhy did I come here?" He stayed though, deciding that he could just rest in his quarters.

For a while, he tried practicing his violin, but found that it made him think too much of Max and Madeline. He put the beautiful instrument down and walked to sit on his bed, just wanting to close his eyes and sleep without thinking about Max.

Suddenly, he had an idea.

"It's just not fair." Kirk sighed, rubbing his eyes and getting himself another cup of coffee from the replicator.

McCoy shook his head at the young captain. "Life isn't fair. You of all people should know that, Jim."

"That's just it. I don't." Kirk gulped his coffee and smashed the little paper cup, throwing it to a garbage disposal unit across his room. "I've lost my father, a good engineer and soon I'm going to loose my helmswoman… I just don't know how to react anymore."

"When you're a doctor that's a valid excuse. Now you—"

"I have a ship full of people to take care, Bones! I know when they get hurt it's your problem to fix them up, but how do you think I feel when I know it's my fault they got injured or killed? Cause I sure as hell don't know." Kirk paced away from the doctor.

"They know what they signed up for, Jim." McCoy said finally, after a long unbearable pause.

"You know why Miss Smith died, Captain?" Spock said, suddenly appearing from the doorway.

"No," Kirk said sarcastically, "Why?"

"Because she made the logical choice. Because the needs of many, outweigh the needs of the one."

"I need you to tell me somezing." Pavel said angrily at Max's mother. Maria gave him the same sardonic laugh she had in the dream.

"Anything for you child," She said mockingly.

"I need to know where your leader is."

"Why would I tell you such a thing?" She laughed again.

Instantly, Chekov was inside the tiny cell with her, not even caring that he had let the field down for the time. He would detain her if he had too, and there were guards if she got past him. He scowled at her furiously. "Tell me."

"She's on Vulcan. With a another diplomat."

Chekov let his hands unclench. "Why would you to tell me?"

"Well, I don't exactly like T'Shan."


	13. Chapter 13

I'm sorry, I really have been busy with other stuff, like new stories and more homework and other annoying crap. So, I'm sad to say this story ends here, but will be picked up after I write the TOS part Sorry, I didn't have time to do the song. Don't worry thought, if all goes correctly I should have it within the next month. I think… First chapter's been up a while, so check it out after this. Hope you guys aren't to mad I took so long and I am sooooo incredibly sorry I kept you waiting so long on this one. Love sent to all who have kept my and I company.

CHAPTER 13: Remembrance

Max was just on the edge of death. Beside her sat Chekov, curled up in a ball in the chair next to her bed. Max knew she was dying. She didn't need to be a doctor, or even a betazoid to know that her time was coming. Occasionally light would flash through her vision, leaving her disoriented and gasping for a breath.

"Max?" Pavel whispered.

"Yes Pavel?" Her voice was hoarse with strain. She had been very tired lately, but she made her self stay awake. She knew as soon as she closed her eyes she would never be able to open them again.

"Can you sing the song?" He asked timidly. Pavel played with the corner of his golden shirt nervously.

"I can try. My throat isn't in the best of shape."

"You do not hafe to if it is painful." He said quickly, unwilling to cause Max the slightest discomfort.

"I want to." She said softly. Music had been Max's entire life outside of Starfleet. She had taken chorus every year in school, had voice lessons, and sang duets with Uhura, played several instruments. Music had always been her only escape from the world and the only way to cope with strong emotions.

"Pull out the PADD from the draw in the desk over there- yes that one."

She took the little hand held computer and fiddled with it momentarily. Max pulled up Finale Notepad and hit play. The small screen light up and music notes whirred on it slowly, playing the piano part to her song.

She waited about four measures and jumped in. Her voice was still as beautiful as when he had heard her singing before in the garden.

"Don't worry,

little one.

Do you cry

because of me?

Silver threads,

unravel as you dream.

Sleep now,

And rise at dawn.

You're not alone anymore."

The piano continued, but Max stopped for a moment on purpose. She saw tears falling slowly down Pavel's face, but he said nothing. She waited for the right moment, and jumped right back in, ignoring how it made her voice crack slightly.

"I am still here.

With you

Don't worry,

It's just a dream.

I am here

don't you cry

Silver threads,

Unravel as you dream.

Make no mistakes,

I am not what I seem.

Don't worry,

It's nothing but a dream.

Silver threads,

Weaving as you sleep.

Don't worry little one,

little one

Do you cry

because of me?

Remember,

I am nothing but a dream

Silver threads,

Weaving as you sleep.

Don't worry,

I am nothing but a dream."

The song faded into the distance without even so much as pause. "Thank you." Pavel muttered. He wiped the tears from his eyes and sat up, drawing Max into a hug. She smiled weakly, knowing how much he really appreciated the song. He gave her a wavering smile as another batch of fresh tears started.

"I'm sorry, Pavel, that you had to find out the way you did. I would have told you sooner, but… I knew how you would react."

"You think I am angry vith you?" He said, thoroughly surprised but the mere suggestion of it. "Max, I could never—."

"I'm sorry, Pavel. I can't hold on much longer. I'm slipping away slowly."

"Max." Chekov pleaded, his gorgeous brown eyes watering again.

"Bye, Pavel. I'll see you again sometime." She whispered, her eyes fluttered shut.

Chekov sat they're motionless as McCoy came in and disconnected all the machines and turned off the monitor above her head.

"I'm sorry, son. She signed a DNR." The doctor said quietly.

"I know." Pavel mumbled blankly, not really even caring.

Chekov walked from the room, his head down, tears falling unashamedly. Max was gone.

He ignored everyone that walked toward him with heart-felt apologies, ignored every person that tried to cheer him. He simply walked into Max's now deserted room, sat in the middle of the room in the pitch black and cried himself to sleep.

The next day was the funeral for both Max and Madeline. Chekov attended in silence and when asked to say something about the two girls he had befriended he told everyone, "These two women—they were two people I relied on. Two people who had humor and could be serious. They were two normal beings that did extraordinary things, and all for their friends, colleagues and families, and people they didn't even know." They were true heroes, in a way that most can never achieve. They will always be revered and remembered in all of our hearts, as saviors, and heroes. True officers. True friends."

THE END


End file.
